For the first time this season, Eau Claire will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will head out to square off against the Chester Cyclones at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Eau Claire's defense has only allowed 13.7 points per game this season, so Chester's offense will have their work cut out for them.
On Thursday, Eau Claire lost to Pelion on the road by a 48-30 margin. The defeat continues a trend for the Shamrocks in their meetings with the Panthers: they've now lost four in a row.
Despite the loss, Eau Claire got top-tier performance from LAQUARIUS SUMMERS, who picked up 169 receiving yards and one score.
Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Chester against Keenan on Friday as the squad secured a 35-6 victory. The game marked the Cyclones' most dominant win of the season.
Chester's win came from a few key players Eau Claire will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Caleb Feaster, who rushed for 160 yards and one touchdown on only 12 carries. His rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fourth straight game with at least 112 rushing yards. The team also got some help courtesy of T'Mari Caldwell, who rushed for 98 yards and one TD on only nine carries.
Chester was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 424 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 202 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Chester didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Jakobe Starks-Wright.
The victory got Chester back to even at 3-3. As for Eau Claire, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Eau Claire has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 248.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Chester struggles in that department as they've been averaging 299.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Eau Claire took a serious blow against Chester when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 56-0. Thankfully for the Shamrocks, Trooper Floyd (who threw for 151 yards and three touchdowns while completing 88.9% of his passes, and also rushed for 30 yards and one score) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
